Johnny Marr is among those paying tribute to Jeremiah Green, the Modest Mouse founder member and drummer who died on Saturday from stage 4 cancer. He was 45.

“I don’t know a way to ease into this: Today we lost our dear friend Jeremiah," the band say. “He laid down to rest and simply faded out. I’d like to say a bunch of pretty words right now, but it just isn’t the time. These will come later, and from many people. Please appreciate all the love you give, get, have given, and will get. Above all, Jeremiah was about love. We love you."

Those words have indeed come with Marr, a Modest Mouse member from 2006-2009, describing Jeremiah as “My friend, bandmate, and the most creative musician I ever met."

News of his illness had been announced by the band just days earlier.

Bonding over a shared love of pioneering indie outfits like Talking Heads, Pavement and XTC, Jeremiah and Isaac Brock founded Modest Mouse in 1992 in Issaquah, Washington. They were an active part of the Seattle scene before relocating to Portland which has been their home ever since.

Jeremiah quit the band in 2003 due to mental health difficulties but re-joined a year later as Modest Mouse achieved commercial lift off with Good News for People Who Love Bad News, which included the mighty 'Float On', which he actually didn't play on.

Jeremiah was very much to the fore, though, on We Were Dead Before The Ship Even Sank, the 2007 follow up with Johnny Marr in situ, which featured such gems as 'Dashboard', 'Fire It Up' and 'Missed The Boat'.

We have fond memories of Jeremiah and the rest of Modest Mouse playing an absolute stormer in 2015 in Dublin's Helix Theatre.

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A post shared by Johnny Marr (@johnnymarrgram)

Jeremiah Green was one of my first favorite drummers. He brought Bonham-size chops and a frenzied energy to Modest Mouse’s sound, riding that hi-hat like a wild bull.
These are 4 of his #peakmusic moments.
“Well it all seems a little abrupt, no I don’t like this change of pace.” pic.twitter.com/1oPjn1rEfE

— Disastro (@DeadAstroman) January 1, 2023

Another sad loss right at the end of 2022. Rest in peace Jeremiah Green.

Modest Mouse, Seattle, 1993. pic.twitter.com/VrZnACh2Lp

— Charles Peterson (@CharlesP_photog) January 1, 2023